At the tree-planting festival (Photo: VNA)

The event also saw the presence of Chairman of the Presidential Office Dao Viet Trung, Vice President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee Phung Khanh Tai, and local leaders and people.

In her remarks, Thinh said planting trees on the occasion of Tet (Lunar New Year) has become a beautiful practice of Vietnamese people over the past six decades since President Ho Chi Minh initiated the campaign, which has contributed to environmental protection, socio-economic development, and national defence and security.

She called on all people to engage in tree planting and take specific measures to protect forests.

According to Vui Van Quang, Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee, Phu Tho aims to plant more than 10,000 ha of concentrated forests in 2020, while stepping up forest protection.

The province will also apply scientific advances to improve productivity and quality of the forestry sector, and ensure green, sustainable growth.

On November 28, 1959, President Ho Chi Minh wrote an article which was published on Nhan dan (People) newspaper, stressing the significance of tree planting to each person, each family and the entire nation.

Since then, the tree planting festival has become a practice whenever a new year comes. Tree planting and afforestation activities have been conducted in a widespread and effective manner and greatly helped with environmental protection and socio-economic development in Vietnam.

In accordance with the Target Programme on Sustainable Forestry Development for 2016-2020, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development targets raising forestry production value by 6-6.5 percent, increasing forest coverage to 42 percent and forestry export to 10 billion USD by 2020, contributing to mitigating natural disasters and reducing poverty in combination with new-style rural development and ensuring national defence-security.

PM launches tree planting campaign in Yen Bai

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc attended a ceremony to launch tree planting campaign in Tran Yen district, the northern province of Yen Bai, on January 30, the sixth day of the lunar New Year.

The province strives to plant at least 520ha of forests of various kinds this year.

Speaking at the event, PM Phuc said the Government and localities nationwide target achieving a forest coverage of 42 percent, earning at least 12 billion USD from wood and wooden furniture export this year and 20 billion USD by 2025, turning Vietnam into a wood production and export centre in the next decade.

He asked for strict following for Decree No.13 by the Party Central Committee’s Secretariat on strengthening the Party leadership on forest management and protection, and the Forestry Law 2017.

The leader urged departments, agencies, mass organisations and local people to respond to the campaign, contributing to forest protection and development./. VNA